Triumvirate Plus One
by cyborgshadow
Summary: Rory, Chase, Lena, and Dani are just relaxing after the war.


I'm babysitting Dani today, just as I've been doing almost every other day. Mom, Dad, Brie, and Amy haven't been so busy they have to leave her with me, but I just want to spend time with my sister. I'm not leaving Chase and Lena out, though. In fact, they should be coming soon.

We're not going to do much, of course. Just relax at home. I don't know about them, but that's all I've wanted to do after. . .everything that happened. I just need to settle down. Get used to having a whole life ahead of me again.

Dani's on her little blanket, trying to roll over. I puff out my cheeks at her, and she just stares like I'm a complete weirdo, which makes me laugh. I am one, and I'm about to prove it.

I turn on some music. Not loud and exciting music, but it makes me want to jump up and dance anyway. And since I'm mostly alone right now, I do. When she's older, Dani and I will dance around ridiculously together, because I've always wanted a sibling who would do things like that with me.

I move my hands around, spin, and make up stupid moves to go with the catchy song. My hair flies into my face multiple times and I have to spit it out. At some points, I lose my balance and fall on the couch. I'm sure I look ridiculous.

I realize too late that Chase is standing there, watching me. Smirking. I feel myself turn as red as Dani's hair and stop immediately, regretting that I left the door unlocked for him and Lena.

"If I had my M3 with me, I would have recorded that," he says mournfully, to let me know that he definitely wishes he could have done so. "It was almost as good as the time you snored and fell off your reindeer."

Then he gets some idea in his head and grins at me. "Want me to teach you to dance again?"

"Uh. . ." I consider it, not believing that he's letting that embarrassing moment go so easily. But it'll be fun, and besides. . .I don't even need a reason. It's Chase. Of course I want him to teach me. "Yes."

First, he heads over to Dani, putting his finger in her tiny hand and waiting for her to grab it. She does, and then she starts trying to eat it. He pulls his finger out of her grip really quickly and wipes it on his jeans.

"Do you want music on, or. . . ?" I ask him, and he nods. We pick a song together, one that's instrumental and fits with ballroom dancing.

Chase takes my hand, smiling his shy smile, and we start to dance. The endless possibilities of _us_ hang invisibly in the air around us, and I can feel how much I...love him. How much he loves me. How did I never realize it before Miriam's quest? That's a question I'll never stop asking myself. How was I so clueless?

He talks me through each step, just like in Queen Titania's pavilion, while I discover just how clumsy I am without the enchantment. But I don't mind it. Chase twirls me.

And them I'm so close to him, so close, that I can't help but lean in more. So I do so, and he does the same.

Lena enters right then. I wouldn't have really noticed if she hadn't squealed at the sight of us. I step away from Chase, who's gone strangely silent from the kiss, and greet her with a hug. "Hey, Lena."

"You guys are really cute together," she says, wasting no time in letting us know, before she settles herself by Dani's blanket. Chase and I both turn pink, but neither of us denies her statement. Chase sort of starts beaming, actually.

I sit by Lena and lift Dani into my lap. It doesn't take long for me to be covered in drool.

Who ever knew we'd get this far? Past winter, death, and despair? And now I have so much life ahead of me, and so many things I could do, and everyone around me is slowly building themselves up again. Nobody has forgotten their losses but nobody has forgotten their gains, either.

I know it won't last, but today, with the music playing and my two best friends plus my little sister by me, I am at peace.

My name is Aurora Landon. I am fourteen years old. The world hasn't stopped beating me down, not by a long shot, but I've stopped believing that I can't ever get up again.

And my-no, our, Dani's plus this new Triumvirate's-story is far from over.


End file.
